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Snuff Puppets.
 Roll
up, roll up! Coming to town this Fringe is a circus without
a tent, but with a man eating crocodile and dangerous high wire
acts, the taming of 7 tonne elephants and giant dogs, in a circus
spectacular with a difference. 'Circus Ole' is the tale of two
circus families down on their luck, created by the collaboration
between Snuff Puppets and acrobats.
"It is homage to the travelling traditional family circuses in Australia, the Ashton's, the Silvers," explains Andy Freer, Snuff Puppets Artistic Director. "Because acrobat do work in traditional circuses the world is very close to them and there is a great tradition, and a great spirit in that, the whole family working their butt off to get to the next town. It is a tradition that can be mocked often, and we hope our show is not mocking."
'Circus Ole' evokes the mystique and the pathos of the carnival, the two travelling families having done it so hard they have had to sell their tent!
"And the RSPCA took away their animals, so they come up with the idea of making them!" continues Freer.
As well as traditional trapeze and balancing acts, 'Circus Ole' features giant animal puppets, and a few twists in the tale.
"In our show there are the two families, including kids, and it is about the commitment to the work, and the lifestyle, and you see the whole thing played out on the stage - they are the caravans we are actually staying in!" chuckles Freer.
While it is a family show, Freer is quick to point out there is a lot in it for the adults. Puppetry might sound like it is kid stuff, but Snuff Puppets started out bringing AO puppets to the Fringe back in the early 1990's.
"We started off making quite adult work," states Freer. "detachable genitals and corpses and skeletons and decapitating heads. But it is no worse that what children might see on TV, in fact I think it is more real in a sense."
"We have been at the Fringe from very early on. We do a lot a free work and workshops out and about with the puppets, making theatre on the streets. Our feeling is that theatre should be an exploratory and experimental place for theatre and art to be given to the general public. Sometimes indoor theatre can be elitist or stifling or have its boundaries or particular restrictions," continues Freer, thoughtfully. "Because of the puppets being three dimensional full body costumes when you are out there, the suspension of disbelief is very strong. Adults respond in a very child like way."
Narelle Walker
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Snuff Puppets 'Circus Ole' perform at Sideshow Paradiso in Rymill Park from Sun 26 Feb at 6.30pm
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